Shield for the use of soldiers and others.



F. DAYTON & A. WHITFIELD. SHIELD FOR THE USE OF SOLDIERS AND OTHERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3| 1916 Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

ATTORNEY F. DAYTON & E. A. WHITFIELD.

SHIELD FOR'THE USE OF SOLDIERS AND OTHERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY3.19I6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCES DAYTON, OF WATFORD, ERNEST ALBERT WHITFIELD, OF BERKHAM- STED, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS- TO THE WHITFIELD MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

LIMITED, OF LONDON,v ENGLAND.

SHIELD FOR THE USE OF SOLDIERS AND OTHERS.

Specification of Letters ratent.

' Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

Application filed May 3, 1916. Serial No. 95,134.

To all whom it may concern.- Be it known that we, FRANCES DAYTON- such coverings to provide relatively narrow metal bands or plates of which a considerable number are required. While the fea-- ture of flexibility is thus obtained there are an undue number of interstices which weaken the protection unless the bands be disposed. in two overlapping layers in which case the weight is practically doubled. Now the object of the present invention'is to provide improved constructions of shields of the class above referred to. For this purpose a body shield or protector according thereto comprises a small number-of metal plates arranged adjacent to each other and v inclosed in a casing or sheath of textile material stitched vertically and horizontally along lines crossing one another perpen- .dicularly so as to form adjacent pockets in which the plates are inclosed and held with their adjacent edges near together. Preferably four body plates are used confined in a pocketed casing or sheath adapted to bend along either of two dividing lines perpendicular to each other which it has been ascertained in practice are sufiicient to enable the shield to be worn with comfort and reduce the number of interstices to a minimum. Each body plate is made of sheet metal or alloy of a hard and tough character, as for example nickel steel, or nickel chromium steel. I

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of one form of shield according to the invention and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line A, A of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view' of another form of shield according to the invention and Fig. 4 is a horizontal section comprises four pieces a of sheet metal of the character referred to made of curved shape and inclosed in a casing or sheath 6 of textile material which is stitched vertically and horizontally as at c and d vand c and al so as'to form four adjacent pockeach of which incloses one of the pieces of sheet metal a, the-concave side of the several pieces of sheet metal facing the rear or inner side'of the shield and the adjacent edges of the pieces of metal being near together. To the upper end of the shield thus formed is attached oneend of a neck strap 6 of textile or other suitable flexible material designed to be passed around the neck of the user and adapted at its other end to be engaged with any convenient attachment on the shield such as a button, 7. To the bottom of the shield is attached means, such for example as a pair of straps g, of like material adapted to be passed and fastened around the waist of the user. -The arrangement is such as to admit of the shield being bent along the middle line 0 or d of stitching. 7

As will be understood the protection may be extended to the back, to the shoulders, or

both. Thus, as shown in Fig. 3, for the protection of the back a covering it the same or similar to that of Fig. 1 may be employed,

ets, two upper ones and two lower" ones,-

the two being connected together by straps z, a pair of which may conveniently pass over the shoulders, while others j are dis posed at or near the waist line. In the example according to Figs. 1 and 2,- the metal plates a are described as held in place simply by stitching the layers of textile fabric I) together so as to form pockets. In Fig. 3however the lines of stitching 0 and d be-.

tween the pieces of sheet metal are covered on one, or, as shown, on both sides by sheet metal strips 70 (see Fig. 4.) confined by tape or the like m, by which means the efficiency of the shield is increased, there being no unprotected scams, or joints, which, even if small, might in some cases permit the passage of an instrument. These protecting strips can of course also be 'appliedto the single shield shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

For shoulder protection, plates n may be carried by the shoulder straps 2' after the manner of epaulettes, such metal plates, for

example, having outer rounded edges ankl inner edges curved to conform roughly to the neck and being incased in pockets 0 of fabric stitched to the shoulder stra s. The plates n may advanta eously be dis ed with the concave surface a jacent to the shoulder, and may be detachable. 1

If desired additional protective pieces of metal may be attached to the shoulder straps 1' between the plates n and the body shield, as indicated at p in Fig. 3, these plates being inclosed in pockets of fabric attached to the straps.

What we claim is 1. A body protector consisting of a number of sheet metal plates of approximately equal length and width disposed edgewise relatively one to another, a narrow strip of metal overlapping adjacent edges of said plates, a casing or sheath of textile material inclosing and closely contacting with opposite sides of said plates, and stitching between adjacent edges of the plates and along the margins thereof so as to form a separate pocket for each plate; said stitching between adjacent edges of the plates extending about midway of the protector on both vertical and horizontal lines, so that flexure is permitted on median lines only both vertically and horizontally.

2. A body protector comprising a casing of textilematerial stitched to form a number of adjacent pockets, metal shield plates inclosed in said pockets with their adjacent edges near together and narrow strips of metal overlapping adjacent edges of the I shield plates.

3. A body protector comprising a casing of textile material stitched so as to form adjacent pockets, metal shield plates inclosed in said pockets with their adjacent edges near together, and inner and outer stri s of metal overlapping adjacent edges 0 the shield plates.

4. A body protector comprising a number of adjacent pockets of textile material formed bydines of stitching crossing one another, hard and tough metal shield plates of substantially corresponding dimensions, one in each pocket, closely contacting with said textile material and flexibly interconnected by said lines of stitching, and narrow outer strips of metal overlapping adjacent edges of the hard and tough metal shield plates.

5. A body protector comprising a casing of textile material stitched vertically and horizontally along lines crossing one another perpendicularly so as to form adjacent pockets, metal shield plates inclosed in said pockets with their adjacent edges near together and outer narrow strips of metal overlap ping adjacent edges of the shield plates.

6. A body protector comprising a front pocketed casing of textile material, a similar rear casing, metal shield plates confined in such pocketed casings, shoulder straps connectin the frontand rear casings and metal platesTworne by the said shoulder straps.

Signed at London England this 15th day of April 1916.

FRANCES DAYTON. ERNEST ALBERT WHITFIELD.

Witnesses:

' S. J. Joan,

W. BEEDLE. 

